Toothbrush



Dec'. 21 ,1926. 1,611,510

E. A. BROWN TOOTHBRUSH Filed Nov. 26, 1924 INVENTOR. EVAN AfiRow/v Y B 777W A TTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 21, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EVAN A. BROWN, OF SANTA MONICA CALIFORNIA,'AS SIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO W. E. WILMOT, OF TACOMA, WASHINGTON.

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Application filed November as, 1924. Serial No. 752,420.

My invention relates to tooth brushes, and the purposes of my invention are the provision of a tooth brush adapted to be supported on and manipulated by the finger; a

tooth brush comprising a stall formed,of fabric or other suitable material which may or may not be impregnated with a tooth cleaning compound and which is adapted to be discarded after being once used; and a tooth brush having on the surface of the stall projections arranged and shaped tofacilitate their insertion into the interstices of the teeth and to the inner sides thereof, the projections to be also formed of fabric or other suitable soft material so as to prevent in'ury to the gums.

I will describe only one form of tooth brush embodying my invention and will then point out the novel features in claim.

In the accompanying drawings, I

Figure 1 is a view showing in perspective one form of tooth brush embodying my invention; I

Figure 2 is alongitudinal sectional view of the brush shown in Figure 1 in applied position to the finger;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 33 of Fi ure 2'.

Referring specifically to the drawings, in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts in each of the views, my invention, in its present embodiment, comprises a stall 15 open at one end to allow the insertion of the finger and closed at the other end to limit the movement of the finger inwardly of the stall. This stall is preferably formed of cotton or other suitable .fabric, which is subjected to suitable pressure to. form the finger embracing stall and the tooth engaging projections,

Likewise, the cotton or fabric may be saturatedwith a cleaning medium or-dentifrice rior to the pressing operation to impart ody thereto, so that the fabric mass will be more susceptible to formation under the action of the press.

In this manner a tooth cleansing device is formed of compressed fabric to provide a relatively stiff/finger engaging stall having destructible tooth engagin projections thereon. The material of which the stall is formed may or may not be impregnated with tooth cleaning compound, and when impregnated with such a compound eliminates the necessity of applying a tooth paste or powder to the brush.

The stall 15 resultant of the die and pressure operation is formed on its outer surface and at that portion thereof which is disposed to the inner side, of the finger when applied thereto with projections 16 in the form of ribs which are preferably wedgeshaped in cross section. These ribs are arranged so that their narrow or working edges are disposed in spaced relation to each other, and such working edges are preferably blunt, as illustrated. The ribs as shown in Figure 1 extend circnmferentially of the stall and are tapered 01' graduated in cross sectional area toward their free ends so that by imparting a rotary motion to the finger to which the tooth brush is applied, the tapered ends of the ribs will be mqved into the interstices between the teeth and upon continued movement the thick portions of the-ribs so as to bring the tooth cleaning compound into intimate relation with the side edges of the teeth, and to thus effect a thorough cleaning of the teeth, as will be understood.

These ribs 16 extend over a portion of the closed end of the wall and, as will be seen from Figure 2, the ribs are graduated in size toward the closed end of the stall, so that the smaller ribs are disposed on the closed end. To facilitate the cleaning of the inner sides of the incisors, the smaller ribs on and adjacent the closed end of the tend to run down the surface of the stall onto the finger and to prevent the contamination of the finger, the open end of the stall is provided with an annular bead 18,

which causes the liquid to remain upon the stall, as will be understood.

Although I have herein shown and de-- scribed only one form of tooth brush embodying my invention, it is to be understood that such changes and modifications ferentially extending ribs, wedge shaped in may be made as do not depart from the cross section, and diminishing in Width tospiritof the invention and the spirit and ward their ends, and grooves intersecting 10 scope of the appended claim. the ribs at and adjacent the closed end of the I claim as my invention: stall.

A tooth brush comprising a stall formed of fabric material having integral circum- EVAN A. BROWN. 

